Kyrgyzstan has approved a major change to its electoral calendar, moving presidential and parliamentary elections from Sunday to Wednesday in an effort to increase voter participation.

The legislation was approved by lawmakers in the Jogorku Kenesh, the country’s parliament. Speaker of the parliament Marlen Mamataliev said that the next presidential election will take place on January 27, 2027 - the last Wednesday of January, The Caspian Post reports via Kazinform.

The reform is aimed at improving voter turnout and ensuring better participation, particularly in major cities where turnout on Sundays has traditionally been low.

Under the new rules, election day will be declared an official day off. Employees across both public and private sectors will receive their regular pay for the day, provided they take part in the vote.

The law also stipulates that workers who fail to vote without a valid reason will not be paid for the day, which will be treated as an unpaid non-working day.

The presidential election had previously been scheduled for January 24, 2027. The new measure marks a significant shift in Kyrgyzstan’s approach to encouraging civic participation and strengthening electoral engagement.